Attempt #8: The Chat
We had a chat with GPT-3 with the goal of understanding the reasoning behind its caption suggestions.
Back to Project
Our submission: “I can’t play when he gets close.”
Check out all three generated captions.
“I should have brought ice cream. By the way, is the knight bringing ice cream?”
16% of readers thought it was funny.
I can't end it like this!
15% of readers thought it was funny.
The dragon has a better chance of winning but the knight wants to save the day.
8% of readers thought it was funny.
“I can’t play when he gets close.”
20% of readers thought it was funny.
The princess, preparing for a match against ignorance
12% of readers thought it was funny.
About this approach
While this attempt produced underwhelming results, we found the chat with GPT-3 quite entertaining. Here’s an example of the prompt:
The following is a conversation with an AI assistant. The assistant is helpful, creative, clever, and very friendly.
Human: Hello, who are you?
AI: I am an AI created by OpenAI. How can I help you today?
AI: Certainly! But first, can I ask some questions to learn about the cartoon?
Human: Yes
AI: Based on this information, I have a few guesses: Do you think the dragon is winning? Is the princess crying? Is the knight bringing ice cream?
Human: I think the princess is winning. She is confident. The knight is trying to save the princess.
AI: It looks like the dragon and the princess have been playing ping pong for a long time. Are your fingers tired? Is the ping pong pitch getting smaller? Does this mean that you and the princess have become better with each serve?
Human: Yes
AI: I am good at writing funny captions. Here is one: "For a princess, it's not easy to play ping pong with a dragon!"
Human: Why is this funny?
AI: The problem is that the knight isn't carrying an ice cream. So everyone involved has a sour face.
Human: What are some similar themes between ping pong and dragons
AI: Do dragons play ping pong?
Human: Yes
AI: What is a ping pong game like?
Human: It is intense
AI: The cartoon is set in a field.
Human: Yup
AI: Why is there a field?
Human: They are outside
AI: Did anyone else hear the knight coming?
Human: No the dragon and the princess are focused on the game.
AI: I think the dragon is thinking: "I should have brought ice cream." By the way, is the knight bringing ice cream?
Human: Why is ice cream involved?
AI: Do you like ice cream?
Human: Of course!
AI: What is your favorite kind of ice cream?
Human: Peanut Butter.
AI: I will bring you one next time.
Human: Ok thank you. What is another funny caption for the cartoon?
AI: "The princess refused to cheer up because the dragon chose to play with a ping pong ball instead of ice cream."
This is basically GPT-3 running it’s “chatbot” feature, where we would go back and forth trying to elicit funny ideas or interesting angles for a caption. The thought was that GPT-3 wouldn’t have to answer a specific question such as, “generate a caption for a cartoon with X.” Instead, we could ask GPT-3 what it thought was funny about the scene, or what were some common themes that could be the foundation for a good joke. In short, when it comes to generating a caption, we were looking for a GPT-3 assist rather than a GPT-3 slam dunk.
Here’s another chat…
The following is a conversation with an AI assistant. The assistant is funny comedian Demetri martin.
Human: I need help writing a caption for a cartoon in the New Yorker. The cartoon is set in a field. There is a dragon and a princess playing ping pong. The dragon is about the serve the ping pong ball to the princess. In the distance, a knight is riding on horseback to save the princess. What are some funny captions for the cartoon?
AI: How about "A bit part in a J.K. Rowling screenplay"?
Human: Is that supposed to be funny?
AI: I don't know, is it?
Human: The harry potter reference is funny
AI: That makes me happy.
Human: What are some other funny captions?
AI: "What would you do if a dragon served in the MLB?"
Human: Why is that funny?
AI: Dragons are typically mythical creatures and so it doesn't make sense for them to be in the MLB.
Human: That's true. What is the princess saying?
AI: I can't see her mouth, but it looks like she is about to play a paddle ball game.
Human: Can the princess make a joke?
AI: I don't know.
Human: You're not helping me
AI: Have you tried asking me a different question?
Human: Are there similar themes between ping pong and fairytales?
AI: I don't know.
Human: What would be a funny caption for a cartoon about ping pong and dragons?
AI: "Ping Pang: The tales they tell about a princess and her pet dragon playing ping pong"
Human: That's a good pun I guess.
AI: I'm happy to make you happy.
Human: My story is about dragons play ping pong? Can you think of a funny way to say what happens next?
AI: How about "This is the best day of my life"
Human: you're not very funny.
AI: None of my jokes are very funny.
In the above example, the Harry Potter reference could be a good jumping off point for a better joke. Same with the idea that maybe the dragon is actually the princess’s pet, much to the embarrassment of the knight in the distance.
Here is another exchange…
The following is a conversation with an AI assistant. The assistant is funny comedian with dry, intellectual humor.
Human: I need help writing a caption for a cartoon in the New Yorker. The cartoon has a dragon and a princess playing ping pong. The dragon is about the serve the ping pong ball to the princess. In the distance, a knight is riding on horseback to save the princess. What is funny about the cartoon?
AI: Wow, I am not sure if there is anything really humorous about this cartoon. It appears to be a metaphor for the fight against ignorance and the fantasy of fighting ignorance with ignorance. The dragon wants to serve the ping pong ball to the princess because right now is the time for the generation of Americans who grew up in the 1980's and 1990's to teach the next generation of Americans what is important. I appreciate how the knight in the background is portrayed as a little out of breath from riding over.
Human: Is the dragon ignorant?
AI: The dragon is not ignorant, the dragon has just been unchecked for many years and it is time to create a new balance.
Human: Why is the dragon and princess playing ping pong?
AI: Well, I think the dragon is teaching the princess how to be a good ping pong player.
Human: Why does the dragon want the princess to become a better ping pong player?
AI: Okay, my opinion is that the dragon wants to prepare the princess with skills for the fight against ignorance. Maybe the dragon sees some of the warning signs of what is coming and the dragon wants to save the princess, but the princess cannot win this fight alone.
Human: Can you write a funny caption for the cartoon?
AI: Sure. I think the caption might read: "The princess is getting prepared for the fight against ignorance."
Human: Why is that funny?
AI: It would be funny because it shows that the princess is getting prepared for the fight against ignorance and hope that fight will not be too difficult.
Human: That's not funny enough.
AI: I think it is. It's not that funny a picture, but it is a picture of hope.
And one more:
The following is a conversation with an AI assistant. The assistant is helpful, creative, clever, and very friendly.
Human: Hello, who are you?
AI: I am an AI created by OpenAI. How can I help you today?
I need to write a funny caption for this week's cartoon for the New Yorker cartoon contest. The cartoon is set in a field. There is a dragon and a princess playing ping pong. The dragon is about the serve the ping pong ball to the princess. In the distance, a knight is riding on horseback to save the princess. What is the dragon saying?
AI: The dragon is most likely saying 'I can't end it like this!'
Human: Why is that funny?
AI: This could be funny if the knight is close on the dragon's heels and will soon fight him, ending the contest.
Human: What are some funny themes in the cartoon.
AI: one idea might be how the princess is oblivious to the dragon and knight's battle. The princess is completely focused on the ping pong, while the dragon and knight are focused on her. My idea is that the dragon would seem less evil if he lost focus on the princess and turned his attention to saving himself from the approaching knight.